The Antithesis of Cheap Chic

Yesterday it was plywood, today it’s Kelly Wearstler. Could two things possibly be more diametrically opposed? Anyhow, I had kind of forgotten about KW (possibly due to the fact that her hair raising exploits on Top Design are on hiatus), but whilst cruising fave blog If the Lampshade Fits I was informed that KW’s house had made an appearance in Vogue. Has Erin been living under a baby shaped rock, you may ask? So I’m a little slow on the uptake, but I’m chancing an overpost in order to put up a zillion KW pictures because I think she deserves a rematch in the KW vs Haters fight for world domination over interior design.

Say what you will about Wearstler — she has wrong hair, the whole world has seen her boobies in Playboy (find your own link, pervs), she is responsible for the trellis pattern that will not die, she thinks pink and purple look smashing together — but you can’t say that she isn’t influential. And she is never, ever boring. Negative space? What negative space? Her rooms have an all overness that many other designers’ spaces lack; every square inch looks considered. And I really like what she did with her house giant freaking mansion.

Well, most of it. A zebra rug? Really? But doesn’t that wallpaper make you want to go paint your own walls all scibbledy scrabbledy, because it is AMAZING. And it doesn’t hurt that she lets her adorable kids climb all over her mansion like little berserker monkeys. I like that about her.

And, uh, have you seen this? Have you? Hello giant gold head and insane ceiling wallpaper! KW always has the most interesting furniture, but her house never looks like a furniture museum — nothing sticks out, and everything looks properly integrated. Apartment Therapy is buzzing with hate over it, but the only thing I hate is the crappy image quality. Oh, and the flowers.

This does not mean I am professing a sycophantic love for everything Kelly Wearstler. I do not understand this dining table arrangement at all. Unless those gold heads are undercover plate holders, this just strikes me as weird. Actually, it strikes me as weird, anyway. But how about those chairs?

She does have a knack for picking quirky furnishings. Everyone needs a giant pair of priapic verdigris topiaries, right? Ok, so her spaces often veer toward the fantastic, but that’s not such a bad thing, is it? Can we not just pick and choose certain ideas and apply them to our own home design?

Enough rhetoric. I am concluding my argument with a barrage of images from what I think is the most interesting hotel she has designed for the Viceroy empire — Miami. It’s maximalist in the extreme, but I could tear up a weekend at that spa.

OK. I have expressed my KWID loathing many times in the past. I mean c’mon, she foisted that hideous Hollywood Regency upon the world.

But Wearstler (notice I no longer use “WORSTler”) has turned over a new leaf and I. ADORE. IT.

Every once in a while, you happen upon an interiors photo that is a total game-changer and I think the shot of her living room is nothing short of SEMINAL.

And who cares about the Pottery Barn-lovin’ fools at Apartment Therapy. Hell, they think mid-century Scandinavian is edgy. They’re just pissed that now they’ve redecorated in Horrific Regency, Wearstler says “I’m over it.” Hopefully, Alek of “From the Right Bank to the Left Coast” will school them with her new position as AT’s Seattle correspondent.

I think her home is simply genius. There’s a museum quality that’s a little stiff. But so much to see — and she pushes it all. Texture, color, shape. I think she is more artist than designer. And you know I’m liking that.

I love Wearstler. yep, so far, she has done nothing wrong by me. I’d move into every square inch of that house faster than you can say “where should I put my dinner plate?” The people at AT on the other hand, need to take their own advice and just go away. I bid my best to Alek, I adore her and hope Raina is right and that she can whip the AT haters into shape.

Also, I should have gotten that planter. Something tells me that vendor will have them available again next time, remind me to take enough cash.

Barchbo::October 7, 2009 at 10:44 am::

You know, there have been a lot of heads featured on this site lately. And I love it! In the case of La Wearstler, it ends a certain gothic element to her Hollywood Regency/Valley of the Dolls drunken splendor.

She is never boring, so I am definitely Team Kelly! Plus, her outfits were pretty much the only interesting thing about Top Design. It’s not the way I’d want to live, but I applaud her eccentricity and flair.

I agree that there’s too much crap on her tables, but that locker room is SO awesome!!!

Well, I thank you Raina and Karly for the vote of confidence but I just went over and read the 64 comments – (about 15 were positive, the rest pretty scathing) and it made me think “What have I gotten myself into?!” Anyway . . . I love anyone with a strong vision, originality and imagination regardless of whether their style jives with my own and there’s no denying KW’s got all of that going on. But I’ve come to realize that some people just aren’t interested in design. They just want their homes to look like a West Elm catalog and be done with it. P.S. Raina: Your comment was the standout over there! And you make a good case but I’ll always love Orla and Marimekko!

erin::October 7, 2009 at 11:52 am::

Alek, I personally think you have the perfect attitude — looking at and appreciating all types of design hones the eye and helps us change the way we look at our own work. The goal is not to ape anyone’s style, but rather to train ourselves to design more creatively by making leaps during the process. And an open mind is absolutely necessary for that.

I, too, am glad you’re heading over to AT. They’re lucky to have you!

ps: I like Marimekko just fine. Wouldn’t some of those prints looks smashing on a seventies brass chair?

That whole pool thing is brilliant. I like her because she walks this line of, as Erin says, totally maximalist but in a weird way spare. Her rooms can be so visually exhausting that they start to come across as pretty soothing in the end. Sometimes her stuff isn’t exactly my taste (I really don’t like that checkerboard marble room with the two pink chairs. It stresses me out for some reason), but you can’t say she’s not talented.

But hey, this is coming from someone who was called “the tackiest person ever” on AT.

So maybe its a being on the other side of the world thing or perhaps just living in a work bubble for a while now so I have only just now & here found out about Ms Wearstlers boobies! So I went & had my perv and now back to the porn that really gets me going – Interiors! I just want to say whilst I appreciate most of it – no heart fluttering is happening & the entrance wall scribble kinda makes me think her kids have regressed & done some diaper art for mommy!!